learning how to kick flip 6 stairs takes determination. so will getting into college. i've got what it takes. so do you. >> here's what's coming up on this edition of "teen kids news"... >> want to do some volunteer work but don't know where to begin? i'll show you how to get the ball rolling. >> when is a game more than a game? when it can help you recover from a concussion. >> i'll tell you about a camp activity that really rocks. >> find out what other teens are doing to help fight global warming. >> i'll tell you where to find the biggest maker of magic tricks in the u.s. abracadabra!

coming up on "flag facts." >> if you have a creative streak and want to help save lives, there's a national competition you should know about. >> i'll tell you why visitors are dancing in the streets at universal orlando. >> and i'll report on a salute to the movies like you've never seen before. we'll have team coverage from... >> ...sunny florida, coming up. >> all that and more, next, on "teen kids news." >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm livia. here's this week's top story. >> there's a way you can combine a good time with a good cause. in fact, an organization is standing by to support you.

it's called "generation on," and emily has the story. >> lots of teens want to do community service, but getting started can be a challenge. that's where generation on comes in. >> generation on is a global youth service organization, or a movement, that mobilizes youth to take action in their community and do community service. >> we caught up with rachel at her latest service event. she found out about generation on when she was in sixth grade. the organization helped her start a kids care club for teens, by teens. >> and it started with about 10 girls in it, and now, it's expanded to about 40 youth from sixth grade to tenth grade. >> what does it mean for projects to be by teens, for teens? >> it means the kids in kids care come up with the service projects they want to do, and it's solely for teens and kids to do those service

projects, such as this event. it's made for kids to come bowl on a friday night, to give back to their community. >> this event is raising money to help kids with disabilities. over the years, rachel's group has organized fund-raisers and events for various causes -- from crafts fairs to fashion shows. along the way, the kids in the club are learning important skills. >> me and my friend lauren, we are the p.r. committee. >> what's the p.r. committee? >> oh, public relations for the events, and we did a lot of facebooking and twitter, sending out e-mails. >> usually, i help out with the tickets and making sure that everyone gets in safely and make sure that it runs smoothly. >> and we stay at the door and just cross off people's names if they've already paid and then collect the money and everything like that. >> of course, you don't put on an event like this without a lot of planning and know-how. >> everyone's gonna come in. there's gonna be a few people at

the front desk. >> kids come up with the ideas and the energy. generation on provides the guidance. >> they get a startup handbook, monthly project ideas, a newsletter, and an online community, where they can work with other teens across the country to impact their community. >> generation on is really on a "roll," joining forces with other organizations for a truly global reach. it helps kids to take action, action that not only changes the world, but changes themselves, as well. >> it really helps your self-esteem, because when you're helping other people, it makes them happy, but it also makes you happy. and it just is a wonderful experience overall. >> doing community service and starting kids care and being a part of generation on has really changed my life because i've

really come to love doing community service, and i really enjoy planning events and leading others for what i love to do. and, also, it's great to make my mark on the world. >> that happens to be the slogan for generation on -- "make your mark on the world." >> the sky is the limit. and it could be anything from working with homeless populations to doing things to help people get fit, to helping with the environment. really, anything that they want, they can find a way to turn into service. and our job is to help them make that possible. >> if this "strikes" you as a great way to do community service and you have some time to "spare," check out generation on. there's a link on our website. for "teen kids news," i'm emily l. >> there's still lots ahead, so stay with us.

>> we'll be right back.

>> we've reported on concussions before. with the popularity of high-impact sports, head injuries sideline teens all too often. but as scott reports, there's now a new way to help them get back in the game safely. >> i went sliding out to basically make a play and ended up, the next thing i knew is the ball was kind of behind me. i didn't know what happened, and my head hurt a lot. >> anthony had been kicked in the head. the high school sophomore had the classic signs of a concussion. >> i had a headache. i was nauseous for a little bit. really slow, it kind of took me

a while to get used to kind of moving again. >> players and coaches are becoming more aware that head injuries are serious and can take a long time to heal. >> in fact, the aftereffects are not just limited to the playing field. >> occasionally, during school, when i went back, i'd start getting a headache when taking a test or doing long-term work that i actually had to think hard for. >> before being allowed to get back into sports, it's important to be completely healed. that's why injured athletes are usually put through a lot of medical tests. doctors are looking for things like errors in vision and balance. but those tests aren't perfect. >> it's very subjective in how you measure the errors, and it also might also have some differences between testers. >> in ohio, the staff at wexner medical center have come up with a clever solution for testing teens recovering from head trauma. they're using wii video games. >> we're trying to make the process of recovery a little bit more engaging for patients. >> the doctors found that the wii helps them get a more accurate and consistent

evaluation. and there's another benefit. their young patients see the new tests as an entertaining game. >> and so it's become very competitive, and they enjoy it versus saying, "oh, this is just another concussion test that i have to take." >> for anthony, the testing provided a green light to get back on the field. for sports trainers, the wii is "scoring" new respect. i'm scott for "tkn." >> we see them all the time, but very few of us look closely. so, here's this week's "flag facts." >> if you ask someone what state they're from, and they hold up their hand like this, they're from michigan. here's detroit. >> the state is shaped like a mitten with a hat on it. michigan is made up of two peninsulas, the lower and the upper, called the "u.p." >> in english, the michigan motto means "if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." a peninsula is a body of land

surrounded on three sides by water. and michigan has an extensive coastline. there are the four great lakes. they're michigan, huron, erie, and superior. >> and it's right there on the flag, the latin for "if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you." you'll also find lots of water. michigan has more coastline than any state but alaska. >> this is actually how the missionaries and the fur trappers that settled the land first got there. >> that's one of them on the shore in the center of the flag. although he's holding a gun, he's waving. a peaceful gesture, you might say. but then there's this word. >> tuebor means "i will defend" and dates back to 1835, when tensions rose so high between the neighboring states, michigan and ohio, that they almost went to war. >> there's more latin across the top. you'll recognize "e pluribus unum" -- one from many, a salute to the diversity that helps make this country great. oh, almost forgot. move over, diagon alley. the michigan town of colon is

home to the biggest maker of magical supplies. with "flag facts," i'm ellie.

>> there are all kinds of things you can do at summer camp. but katie tells us about a camp activity that might surprise you. it's called "camplified." >> ♪ when the sun sets, baby, on the avenue ♪ ♪ i get that... >> camplified is a rock-concert tour that comes into summer camps for teens and tweens. it's a national tour, and we get a chance to visit with campers, do activities with them during the day, with the concert as the culmination. >> ♪ oh, ooh >> some of those activities

include things like learning how to beat box... >> [ beat boxing ] >> ...or being shown recording techniques. >> melissa! [ voice echoing ] >> and it's not just the campers who have all the fun. camplified is also a chance for rising talent to get a taste of what it's like to give a concert. >> why don't you guys and gals put your hands together for brandon and savannah! [ crowd cheers ] >> you don't need to be a superstar artist on a record label for this tour. >> ♪ i got a brand-new pair of wings ♪ ♪ i'm gonna try we love to inspire people every day, and we love to perform for people, and also we never went to camp, so this is kind of like our camp experience. so it's been a blast. ♪ i wanna fly >> the program also turns up the volume for performers who are already making a name for themselves. >> ♪ baby, you'll remember

this old flame ♪ >> after payton rae uploaded her music on youtube, she became a hit on music-sharing sites. and as a part of the camplified tour, she's a headliner. >> north shore, make some noise for payton rae! come on! [ crowd cheers ] >> hey, you guys. can guys put your hands together for me? the performance is amazing because the kids really get into it. i mean, they're so energetic and really love interacting with me. >> my favorite part about having the bands here is that i get to listen to music and talk to them and interact. >> a normal concert, you can't really interact with the bands, but at camplified you can. >> it was really cool. >> and it wasn't just the campers clapping. the counselors were cheering, too. >> oh, i loved it. it was a really fun time. >> i thought it was really interesting and really cool to see all the different musicians and what they do here. >> it gives the kids something to do that's different, and i really enjoyed it.

>> after a visit from camplified, singing around the campfire probably seemed pretty tame. >> there's no end to the amazing ways to spend time online. just click this. >> if you enjoy figuring out puzzles, you might have even more fun creating your own. you can do that with puzzlemaker at discoveryeducation.com. puzzlemaker offers all kinds of brain challenges. first, pick the type of game you want to create from their list. you'll see there are crosswords, math squares, and cryptograms, to name a few. then, using your own questions and answers, the site helps you design the puzzle. when it's finished, you can print it out and challenge family and classmates. this can be a helpful tool for sats and acts. for example, creating your own crossword puzzle is a fun way to learn vocabulary. with "click this," i'm harry.

[cheers and applause] [woman laughing] man: where's my daughter? hey, baby. child: aw! come here. [cheers and applause] girl: i love you, dad.

>> here's how teens answered our question for the week. >> global warming -- we hear about it all the time. but do any of us do anything about it? >> yes, i try. i like -- i walk to school, and then i also shut the sink off and i take tubs so i don't waste water. so, i fill it up, and then i don't fill it up again. >> well i try to, like, recycle, and i tell, 'cause every day in school we're talking about global warming in our science classes. so, i try to, like, tell other people to recycle and just make sure those polar bears still stay safe. >> well, i try to unplug stuff

after using it and all that. >> i think that i as a person try really hard to become eco-friendly and to take care of our environment. >> yeah, i have trouble with that. i probably should do more about it, but i'm very busy a lot of times. but when i can, i definitely do try to contribute less to the global warming. >> well, i, as cliché as it sounds, i don't buy water from the store. i always bring my own little bottle with me. and just little things like that really do make an impact. >> i mean, my parents are raw vegans, so we recycle and we avoid all plastic bags and all that fun stuff. so, i mean we're kind of a green house, but i don't know. so, i guess it's kind of like second nature to me. >> here's what families tell us they're doing to help the planet...

so don't just say you're worried about global warming. there are things we all can do to try to help deal with it. i'm brandon for "teen kids news." >> this report is brought to you by the national road safety foundation. you don't need a driver's license to enter the fourth annual drive 2 life psa contest. you just need a bit of creativity and the "drive" to help make the roads safer. >> car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. and many of those crashes are caused by distracted driving. >> that's why the national road safety foundation and scholastic are sponsoring the psa contest. they're inviting teens to create a public-service announcement that will help convince other teens that distracted driving kills. >> the contest is open to students in grades 6 through 12. and, you know, last year, we received more than 700 entries from students in 41 states. >> in addition to a $1,000 scholarship, the grand-prize

winner gets a unique opportunity... a trip to new york city to work with an award-winning director to produce the psa. >> we're gonna carpool it, and we're gonna go to the location. >> the completed tv spot will then be unveiled right here on "teen kids news." >> find out what takes two days to make, thirty seconds to watch, and could save thousands of lives. >> the winner will also be featured in scholastic's magazines distributed to classrooms nationwide. >> there are two ways to send in your idea for the psa. you can write it out as a script, or you can send in a storyboard. that's a series of drawings that help visualize your concept. >> like writing a letter and then using their ipod. >> if you're thinking of sending in a video, don't. video entries will not be accepted. to find out more about the contest and the rules, go to drive2life.org. >> and remember -- get those entries in by february 28th. >> which means now is the time

to get into gear. good luck! for "teen kids news," i'm carina. pick your [bleep] up. you're not [bleep] sittin' here. yes, i am. [laughter] move. move. [laughter/indistinct chatter] bully: give it to him hard. no, no, no, oww. announcer: every day, kids witness bullying... boy: why are you stabbing me with it? no! announcer: they want to help, but don't know how. no! oww. ohh, you guys... announcer: teach your kids how to be more than a bystander. visit stopbullying.gov. he took chances, he was so moving... he lived daringly, martin luther king jr. was a man of service, and his day should be a day of service.

to honor him, let's do the same. go to mlkday.gov and find out how to volunteer on martin luther king day, and beyond. this message is brought to you by the corporation for national and community service. i wish i was in school. [overlapping chatter] if only i had a math test today. or a book report to give. i wish i was in school. i'll stay after class. i'll clean the chalkboard. i'll do extra homework. i'll skip recess. i wish i was in school. i wish i was in school. i really wish i was in school.

man: school ends, but free lunches for your kids don't have to. find your local food bank at feedingamerica.org/summermeals for help. together, we're feeding america. >> we sent nicole and lauren to universal orlando resort to find fun things to report on. and they certainly did. our team coverage starts with nicole, and i'm jealous. >> one of my assignments was to cover universal's superstar parade. if you've got young brothers or sisters, they'll love seeing characters from "despicable me," "dora the explorer," "go, diego, go," "hop," and many more. >> there are over 13 shows that feature all these characters during the day. you see them all over the park. the parade is how we culminate our end of our day. >> who's the most popular character? >> i can't say that there's one most popular character. i think they're all pretty popular. but of course gru during the

parade goes over 20 feet up in the air. so, he might be the tallest and largest character in our parade. >> here's one character from my childhood i've always wanted to meet. hey, spongebob, how's life in bikini bottom? can i have a high five? >> that's spongebob! >> there's spongebob! >> how does it compare to past parades here? >> this parade is different because we make two show stops that have interactive moments with the guests. the parade floats themselves are very different, as we have lots of animatronic, moving pieces on our floats, which is very different than any other parade that we've done in the past. >> throughout the day, you'll see people dancing with some of the characters. can you show me a few moves? and the outdoor fun doesn't stop here, right, lauren? >> that's right, nicole. at night, more stars come out -- movie stars. >> houston, we have a problem.

>> this is universal's cinematic spectacular, "100 years of movie memories." >> the show talks about 100 years of heroes, 100 years of villains, good versus evil, laughter, triumph. it's a really remarkable show that takes our guests on an amazing journey through universal. >> there are clips from more than 200 iconic films from universal studios. to get the full effect, you really have to see it live. >> and we use fountain technology. we've got these water screens that we project all of the images on, and between these water screens are full-color fountains that are basically like -- they're tied to the music. so, anytime you're hearing these really huge scores, those fountains fly out of the water and with brilliant colors, lots of light, lots of energy. it's a lot of fun. >> universal pictures... one hundred years is just the beginning. >> do you think there will be

a "200 years of movie memories"? >> [ laughs ] i would hope so, yeah. i don't think i'll be around for that, but the great thing about this show is that we work with universal pictures. we have a great relationship with them. so, as new films come out, we'll be able to incorporate things that aren't in the show currently and keep the show relevant and current. >> even if you haven't seen all the movies, "100 years of movie memories" is still a memorable experience. at universal orlando, i'm lauren for "tkn." >> that's our program for this week. thanks for joining us. >> and of course "teen kids news" will be back again back next week. so, we'll see you then.

>> write to us at... here's a shoutout to p.r. newswire for including "teen kids news" on their big screen in times square, new york city.

i hope you find a home. i hope you find a home. hey, maybe you'll be picked next. maybe you'll be picked next. we've been caged together too long. we've been caged together too long. how come nobody ever picks me? maybe they're looking for somebody different. pick me! well, the shelter's closing up for another day. we didn't get picked. i know. tomorrow. guaranteed. turning a 20-foot wall into a canvas takes vision. so will getting into college. i've got what it takes. so do you. please sir, i want some more. more? well he did say please... please and thank you.